JJ explains no Shatner

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by: Mike Sampson Sep. 9, 2008

Have you been saddened that William Shatner has no part of JJ Abrams' upcoming STAR TREK? Yeah, me neither but apparently Shatner has instructed his publicist to keep this issue in the news as it keeps being talked about. Recently AMCtv spoke to Abrams (mostly about his upcoming TV series "Fringe") and got him to talk about STAR TREK and the lack of Shatner. Says JJ of why Shatner isn't involved:

It was very tricky. We actually had written a scene with him in it that was a flashback kind of thing, but the truth is, it didn't quite feel right. The bigger thing was that he was very vocal that he didn't want to do a cameo. We tried desperately to put him in the movie, but he was making it very clear that he wanted the movie to focus on him significantly, which, frankly, he deserves. The truth is, the story that we were telling required a certain adherence to the Trek canon and consistency of storytelling. It's funny -- a lot of the people who were proclaiming that he must be in this movie were the same people saying it must adhere to canon. Well, his character died on screen. Maybe a smarter group of filmmakers could have figured out how to resolve that.

So there you go. He doesn't want to be in the movie, Abrams doesn't want him in the movie - let's just end it! He can continue doing karate kicks in Priceline commercials and we can be happy with a STAR TREK movie that...doesn't go...like....this.

Source: AMCtv

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navarr0
6:43PM on 09/11/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Who Cares!!!!
I hate Star Trek. Let him do more WOW commercials, Mr. T and The Shat doing a WOW commercial would be classic!!
I hate Star Trek. Let him do more WOW commercials, Mr. T and The Shat doing a WOW commercial would be classic!!
 
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sygnus
11:51AM on 09/11/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Congratulations Abrams
Congrats J.J. You've just admitted you're not clever enough to come up with a way to bring back an iconic character in a universe that regularly plays fast and loose with people staying dead. I'm with Neo842, no Shatner means no Kirk means no Star Trek for me. Plenty of other people will want to see it still and I have nothing negative to say about them; but I am very disappointed they couldn't...
Congrats J.J. You've just admitted you're not clever enough to come up with a way to bring back an iconic character in a universe that regularly plays fast and loose with people staying dead. I'm with Neo842, no Shatner means no Kirk means no Star Trek for me. Plenty of other people will want to see it still and I have nothing negative to say about them; but I am very disappointed they couldn't figure out how to make this work.
 
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Neo842
4:11AM on 09/10/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
NO KIRK NO STAR TREK
CAMEO MY ASS. Captain Kirk Deserves move then that as he started Star Trek and made it great. god rest my grandad if he heard the news that kirk was,t in a Star Trek movie. you know J J TEA BAG ABRAMS. YOUR A JOKE. Kirk is a legend and anyone who disses him is messed up. look at how he played the role amazin like. I CALL A BOYCOT ON THE NEW TREK MOVIE. NO ONE SHOULD GO SEE IT IF HE'S NOT IN IT....
CAMEO MY ASS. Captain Kirk Deserves move then that as he started Star Trek and made it great. god rest my grandad if he heard the news that kirk was,t in a Star Trek movie. you know J J TEA BAG ABRAMS. YOUR A JOKE. Kirk is a legend and anyone who disses him is messed up. look at how he played the role amazin like. I CALL A BOYCOT ON THE NEW TREK MOVIE. NO ONE SHOULD GO SEE IT IF HE'S NOT IN IT. AND last thing everbody dies and comes back. do you want me to count how many time picard died and then came back.
 
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Preston_79
9:14PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I wouldn't throw Shatner a bone on this one either. He could be the nicest guy on earth, but he would fuck this movie up if he were in it. I just want to wash the taste out of my mouth left from all the Star Trek movies of the last 20 years. Thank you JJ Abrams. Shatner may be an icon, but so is David Hasselhoff, and Paris Hilton.
I wouldn't throw Shatner a bone on this one either. He could be the nicest guy on earth, but he would fuck this movie up if he were in it. I just want to wash the taste out of my mouth left from all the Star Trek movies of the last 20 years. Thank you JJ Abrams. Shatner may be an icon, but so is David Hasselhoff, and Paris Hilton.
 
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dingostyle
8:13PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Uh...
...It's good that Shatner is not in this. Nuff said.

Oh wait, I have a question. Maybe I'm not following this film too much, but I thought it was a prequel, hence taking place before all the others. If so, Shatner shouldn't be there anyway. Who cares if he died in Generations if it didn't happen yet.

Of course, I could be wrong since I haven't been following this ...
...It's good that Shatner is not in this. Nuff said.

Oh wait, I have a question. Maybe I'm not following this film too much, but I thought it was a prequel, hence taking place before all the others. If so, Shatner shouldn't be there anyway. Who cares if he died in Generations if it didn't happen yet.

Of course, I could be wrong since I haven't been following this film.
 
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joel1975
7:24PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Inaccurate journalism....
Mr. Mike Sampson, looking at your article, you seem to contradicting yourself.

Your title says that J.J. Abrams said "no" to Shatner, and he didn't want to include him in the picture. However, Abrams seemed to have wanted to include Shatner...but the original "Kirk" wanted the movie based solely on him.

Creative differences...and a little more than is said. :D
Mr. Mike Sampson, looking at your article, you seem to contradicting yourself.

Your title says that J.J. Abrams said "no" to Shatner, and he didn't want to include him in the picture. However, Abrams seemed to have wanted to include Shatner...but the original "Kirk" wanted the movie based solely on him.

Creative differences...and a little more than is said. :D

Personally, I wouldn't think adding Shatner to the film will bring boxoffice...it will depend on the story, and if they bring something new to the Star Trek franchise.
 
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jyork7900
2:41PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Shat-ner
If this movie follows canon, won't that be a first? Ever? It would be easy to bring him back - make up something outta thin air! That's the way the series since TOS have done it. Do I want him back? Not really. I want a movie/series ahead of this prequel crap. Then it's your universe to do with what you will! Berman is out, so let's do it right! Let's move beyond prequels Hollywood!
If this movie follows canon, won't that be a first? Ever? It would be easy to bring him back - make up something outta thin air! That's the way the series since TOS have done it. Do I want him back? Not really. I want a movie/series ahead of this prequel crap. Then it's your universe to do with what you will! Berman is out, so let's do it right! Let's move beyond prequels Hollywood!
 
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neon66
2:37PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
That roast was the sh*t.
That roast was the sh*t.
 
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captainteague
2:28PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
TSUKASA13...
Soooo, let me get this straight. You are throwing in your two cents and judging my ethics because I gave MY opinion about Mike Sampson, who gave HIS opinion about William Shatner? I'm hoping you can see the irony here. By the way, to the best of my knowledge, Boston Legal is still on the air. How exactly does starring in a critically acclaimed series on a major network make one "washed up"?...
Soooo, let me get this straight. You are throwing in your two cents and judging my ethics because I gave MY opinion about Mike Sampson, who gave HIS opinion about William Shatner? I'm hoping you can see the irony here. By the way, to the best of my knowledge, Boston Legal is still on the air. How exactly does starring in a critically acclaimed series on a major network make one "washed up"? Also, I didn't realize the Entertainment industry was in the habit of rewarding, as you describe him, a "mediocre, one trick, stuttering, overacting oaf" with an Emmy...

I do agree with your statement that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion.
 
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FireCaptain4
2:09PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I love Shatner but...
Captain Kirk is dead. He died in (***Spoilers***) Star Trek VII: Generations (***End Spoilers***). In fact, some people forget he died TWICE in that movie. Unless his cameo was intended to be a flashback before the events of that movie, and the filmmakers attempted to "de-age" him (as was done in X3), it just wouldn't work.

I do love those Priceline commercials though, maybe the...
Captain Kirk is dead. He died in (***Spoilers***) Star Trek VII: Generations (***End Spoilers***). In fact, some people forget he died TWICE in that movie. Unless his cameo was intended to be a flashback before the events of that movie, and the filmmakers attempted to "de-age" him (as was done in X3), it just wouldn't work.

I do love those Priceline commercials though, maybe they could make a feature-length version of those? I'd see it. Hell, I'd buy that.

"PRICE-LINE NEGOTIA-TOR!"
 
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Cezar Pena
1:58PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Not a fan of the series but this does sound like a smart move. We know Shatner deserves all the love that he can get but truly there is not enough space for him in this movie so let him go and bring us a new trailer already.
Not a fan of the series but this does sound like a smart move. We know Shatner deserves all the love that he can get but truly there is not enough space for him in this movie so let him go and bring us a new trailer already.
 
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tsukasa13
1:32PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
captainteague...
ooooor, maybe everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and Sampson can say whatever he wants about whoever he wants, and if you don't like it, you don't have to read the sight. there's something ethically wrong about attacking a person for sharing their opinion. so what if sampson mocks some fat, washed up, has been, mediocre, one trick, stuttering, overacting oaf?
ooooor, maybe everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and Sampson can say whatever he wants about whoever he wants, and if you don't like it, you don't have to read the sight. there's something ethically wrong about attacking a person for sharing their opinion. so what if sampson mocks some fat, washed up, has been, mediocre, one trick, stuttering, overacting oaf?
 
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captainteague
1:03PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Mike Sampson Plays The Big Man By Dissing Shatner
Mike Sampson, I'm calling you out on this one. Not only are your comments about William Shatner tacky and mean-spirited, they are laughable as well. The character of Captain Kirk is an icon known around the world. That sort of reaction doesn't happen without the help of a skilled and dedicated actor. Not one person would give a flip about Captain Kirk if Shatner had been a bad actor and not...
Mike Sampson, I'm calling you out on this one. Not only are your comments about William Shatner tacky and mean-spirited, they are laughable as well. The character of Captain Kirk is an icon known around the world. That sort of reaction doesn't happen without the help of a skilled and dedicated actor. Not one person would give a flip about Captain Kirk if Shatner had been a bad actor and not breathed life into the character. Remember, STAR TREK was a series first, not an adaptation of a comic book or novel. So, Mike, how the hell does 42 years of Captain Kirk lore exist if not for the hard work and talent of William Shatner? [link] yourself and show some respect for an Emmy-winning actor who chose to spend his life entertaining people, instead of bashing them.
 
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SeymourClearly
12:30PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahn!
Who has the worst toupee, Shatner or Cage?
Maybe they could lend each other some rugs?

The producers made the right decision.
Who has the worst toupee, Shatner or Cage?
Maybe they could lend each other some rugs?

The producers made the right decision.
 
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Obmulap
12:19PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
From what I'm reading it doesn't sound like he didn't want to be in the movie, but that he wanted the movie to revolve around him...not his character...HIM!
From what I'm reading it doesn't sound like he didn't want to be in the movie, but that he wanted the movie to revolve around him...not his character...HIM!
 
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hartman27
12:13PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Daforce
You do realize if Kirk returned this would be his third time beating death. He died in the movie and then Shatner himself wrote a book where he came back once again and then destroyed some borgs by sacrificing himself or something like that.

I bet ten bucks if he was in it, you'd hate the result when you came out of the theater.
You do realize if Kirk returned this would be his third time beating death. He died in the movie and then Shatner himself wrote a book where he came back once again and then destroyed some borgs by sacrificing himself or something like that.

I bet ten bucks if he was in it, you'd hate the result when you came out of the theater.
 
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Preston_79
12:10PM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I think the right decision was made. Maybe we'll get a good Star Trek movie after countless pieces of shit.
I think the right decision was made. Maybe we'll get a good Star Trek movie after countless pieces of shit.
 
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DaForce
11:16AM on 09/09/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
And hence why this movie will blow.
And hence why this movie will blow.